Excel possesses formidable database powers. Creating a relational database starts with a Master table that links to subordinates called (awkwardly) Slave, Child, or Detail tables.

Are you still putting your data in plain, old spreadsheets? Excel 2013 makes it easy to link tables, create reports and more.

With a pivot table, you can create one pool of information and then easily change your focus from one thing to another — an analysis that would be tedious to perform manually.